A Beautiful Mess
by Scrappy-Little-Writer
Summary: Struggling to keep up with the bills and make sure their alcoholic father doesn't completely ruin their lives, Beca and Jesse do their best to keep their family together. But all it takes is a perky redhead and her high maintenance best friend for them to see their potential and realize they can do better than the life they grew up in. Inspired by Shameless! Bechloe endgame
1. Meet The Mitchell's

**Hi, everyone! This is an idea that's been brewing for a while and I finally got around to giving the story a shot. If you're familiar with shameless, you can get the general idea for the vibe of the story. But I'll leave it at that! I hope you enjoy the first chapter :)**

* * *

"I cannot believe you dragged me here." Aubrey muttered as she vigorously wiped down their table with a napkin, her face grimacing before she tossed it to the side. The bar had character...with it's chipped walls and floors covered in peanut shells and spilled beer. The tv's played ESPN, showing the highlights of the Chicago Cubs while the men at the bar raised their glasses and talked loudly over the staticky speakers that the bartender occasionally slapped with the palm of her hand. Aubrey turned to her best friend in front of her, her eyes pleading that they get up and leave.

Chloe smirked as she sipped her margarita, "I'll admit we're a bit far from the dorms but it's way too cold to be standing outside. On the bright side," The redhead swirled her drink with the straw, "the drinks are pretty good."

Aubrey scoffed, "Well, enjoy your drink. I refuse to have my judgement impaired while we wait here. Has Tom texted back yet?"

Chloe cleared her throat and scrolled through her phone, shaking her head.

"No not yet. He gets off work at 10, though."

Aubrey nodded, glancing up at the clock above them that read 9:45pm. She brought her arms close to her chest when one of the men at the bar slammed his glass against the table, barking out a laugh.

"You should text him again."

Chloe rolled her eyes, "Bree, calm down." She squinted her eyes when Aubrey sunk into her seat, "I'm getting you a drink." Just as Aubrey was beginning to protest, insisting that one of them should be 100% sober, Chloe sprung up from their booth and walked over to the bar where the bartender was refilling the mens glasses with more beer.

"Thank you, Gail."

"No prob, Patrick." The blondes curls bounced against her shoulders when she turned to face Chloe who plopped down on the empty stool a few spots beside them. "What can I do for you, hon?"

"Can I get a margarita, please."

Gail smiled, "Absolutely."

"Thank you." Chloe smiled. She felt her phone vibrate in her back pocket, with an eye roll she glared over her shoulder at Aubrey.

_Bree: I put your rape whistle in the right hand pocket of your purse _

Chloe typed her reply before slipping her phone back into her pocket.

_Me: Thanks, mom._

The creaky door swung open and a petite brunette walked inside, letting in the chill of the September night air. Her shoulders were arched up towards her ears as she shuffled inside.

Gail looked up and beamed, "Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes. Beer?"

"Yeah, thanks." The brunette smiled and took the empty seat at the end of the bar, not noticing the redhead until Gail walked over with the margarita. Beca watched Chloe reach into her Louis Vuitton purse and the brunette smirked, raising her eyebrows.

"Keep the change." Chloe smiled.

Gail saluted Chloe before walking back towards the men who sent frustrated gestures towards the tv.

"Did you get lost or something?"

Chloe was just about to head back over to Aubrey when Beca spoke. She chuckled lightly and tilted her head with curiosity.

"'Scuse me?"

"I'm playin'. I've just never seen you around here." Beca laughed. She took a moment to take notice of the University of Chicago logo on Chloe's shirt that was peaking out from inside her jacket.

"Yeah, my friend and I just started at UC and figured we'd - "

"Tour the south side?" Beca asked with a raised eyebrow, "No, I don't blame you. Our drunks are a sight to see." She nodded towards Patrick who downed a shot and laughed at something his friend said while Gail took a swig of her beer, "Exhibit A."

Chloe turned around to look down the bar as Patrick pounded his chest and burped.

"Charming." Chloe mumbled, raising an eyebrow.

Gail approached them with Beca's drink, "Here you go, B." She winked at Beca, sending her a knowing look before looking over at Chloe, "How's the margarita, sweetie?"

Chloe blinked, suddenly remembering that she was supposed to give the drink to Aubrey.

"Oh, right. This is for my - my friend." Before Chloe left the bar, Beca leaned over with a small smile.

"Hey, college."

Chloe rolled her eyes but a smile soon snuck up on her face when Beca's eyes twinkled and her grin curved a little more. It was a small moment where Chloe just stood there, captivated - wondering what this stranger was going to ask her. In that moment she couldn't quite decipher what this unfamiliar feeling was that suddenly fluttered in her stomach...and that's all it took? A smug little grin?

"What's your name?"

"Chloe."

Beca nodded and raised her glass slightly off the counter, "Well, take care...college."

Chloe narrowed her eyes playfully, "You're not gonna tell me your name?"

"Why so you can look me up on Facebook?" Beca asked, faking offense with a look of disgust before hiding her smile behind the rim of her glass.

Chloe giggled, "Do you _have _Facebook?"

Beca scrunched her eyebrows, shaking her head and licking the beer from her lips, "Hell no. It's stupid. Like, I don't care about whose Friendiversary it is or whose dog just turned 2."

"So how else am I going to internet-stalk you?" Chloe joked.

"You see," Beca squinted her eyes, "I knew it."

Chloe chuckled and gave the brunette one last smile before walking back over to Aubrey who had been watching from their booth. Aubrey raised her eyebrow and once Chloe sat back down she glared, squinting her eyes suspiciously.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Chloe pulled her lips away from the straw of Aubrey's margarita and smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, right. Sorry. Here you go."

Aubrey glanced at the drink and shook her head, "No. I mean what're you doing talking to a stranger?"

"Aubrey." Chloe laughed. "She's harmless."

"Ted Bundy seemed harmless but look what he did." Aubrey leaned back and crossed her arms against her chest, raising her eyebrows suggestively - clearly she cracked the case and everyone was a threat! Guilty until proven innocent!

"You're ridiculous." Chloe whispered as she leaned forward, "But I love you. Can you please drink your margarita?"

Aubrey huffed and slid the drink in front of her, "Stop trying to get me drunk." She took a sip and rolled her eyes before taking another, it _was _pretty good.

"But I looove drunk Aubrey." Chloe cooed, "I miss her."

"Yeah, well, Drunk Aubrey is on time out." Aubrey muttered, "I'm never leaving Stacie in charge of the punch again."

"Are you kidding?" Chloe snickered, "She's always gonna be in charge of the punch."

Aubrey shook her head and soon her lips found the straw again. Over by the bar, Beca moved to join Patrick and Gail while she poured a row of shots in front of them.

"Where's wonderboy tonight?" Patrick asked before throwing his head back to take his shot.

Beca smirked, "I texted him to pass by. But I think he's home with Em."

"And your pops?" Ed asked who was sitting beside Patrick.

Beca laughed, "Either passed out under the L or handcuffed in the back of a police car, who the fuck knows."

Gail laughed, "The night is young. I'm sure Arthur will surface and grace us with his presence."

Beca shook her head, taking a swig of her beer as she leaned back against the bar, "Careful what you wish for." She looked over at the booth towards the far end of the bar and watched as Chloe and Aubrey finished their drinks and made their way towards the door. Beca placed her beer down and just as the blur of red hair disappeared behind the wooden door, Beca pushed herself off the bar and caught the door before it was shut. She winced when the cold air hit her exposed arms and with a grin she called out, ignoring the man stepping out of the BMW parked in front of the bar.

"Hey, college." Chloe turned around and smiled. Beca bit her lip, "My name's Beca."

Aubrey rolled her eyes and slid into the backseat while Tom stood next to his girlfriend, his hand rested on Chloe's lower back as he raised his eyebrow at the small brunette. Chloe held Beca's gaze as she slid into the passenger seat.

"Bye, Beca."

* * *

Later that night, Beca stepped into her house and was immediately greeted by the familiar smell of weed and beer. Tripping over a pair of boots as she stepped into the living room, Beca rolled her eyes and took a quick look around. The tv was on and there were bowls of cereal left abandoned on the coffee table, soggy flakes floating to the surface of the milk. Beca walked into the kitchen where she grabbed a beer from the fridge before leaning forward on the kitchen island. There was a faint thump coming from upstairs followed by a laugh and few curse words before two pairs of footsteps came running downstairs.

"You're such an asshole, Jesse." Emily, the youngest of the three, pushed her brother forward. Jesse laughed.

"He'll call back, calm down."

"Who? Benji?" Beca asked with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

Emily looked between her older siblings and groaned, "You're _both _annoying."

Jesse laughed, swinging the fridge door open and grabbing a beer.

"You were at Gail's?" He asked, standing beside Beca who nodded.

"They were asking about you." Beca said, a grin slowly forming, "_Wonderboy._"

Jesse rolled his eyes, "Fucking Patrick."

Beca chuckled before walking around the island towards the dining table, suddenly taken aback when there was a body laid out on the floor. She poked Arthur's back with the tip of her sneaker and a low rumbling snore followed.

"Jesus, Arthur - when did he get in?"

Jesse and Emily leaned forward and shrugged nonchalantly at the sight of their father in his natural state. Wrinkled leather jacket, stained t-shirt with his scuffed jeans giving off the familiar aroma of alcohol. His hair tangled under the beanie that was shifted down, covering his baggy eyes.

"I don't even notice him anymore, to be honest with you." Emily said, shaking her head before gesturing towards the stairs, "I have to practice my solo for tomorrow so I'm turning in early. Night, guys!" Jesse and Beca waved over their shoulder before turning their attention back to their father.

"What should we do with him?" Jesse asked, lightly scratching his bare chest as a yawn forced its way out of his mouth.

Beca sighed. She shook her head and took a large gulp of her beer, finishing the bottle.

"Just leave him there. We'll lecture him tomorrow." Beca deadpanned.

"Cause his stubborn brain always registers what we have to say." Jesse quirked an eyebrow.

"This time it will." Beca said sternly, "Because he has one last chance before he's out."

* * *

**If you've made it this far - yay! I hope you all liked the first chapter. Please leave me some feedback - this is my first attempt at a story so I'd love to hear from you guys! **

**Thanks for reading :)**


	2. GFY

**A/N: Hey, y'all! I hope everyone is staying safe and staying HOME! And to help with that here's chapter 2! I hope you guys like it! Enjoy :)**

* * *

The next morning, Beca descended down the stairs into the kitchen where she followed the smell of coffee to the island. Emily and Jesse were seated there already, Beca having just heard part of their conversation.

" - then why are you blushing, hm?" Jesse teased, reaching over to poke Emily's cheeks, "You're as pale as Beca so you can't hide it."

Emily swatted his hand away, "Cut it out! I happen to have naturally rosey cheeks."

"Mhm." Jesse rolled his eyes, unconvinced. He looked up when Beca rounded the island, "She's risen!"

"Coffee first." Beca muttered. As if on autopilot, her hands reached for her mug and the coffee pot, her eyes barely open until the caffeine hit her tastebuds. With a content sigh, she turned back to them. "What're we talking about?"

Jesse grinned, "Emily's meeting Benji after school to work on their duet for her show at the end of the month. Sparks will fly. It'll be like in those movies when the main characters gaze into each others eyes and...the rest is history."

"Gross." Beca mumbled into her mug as she took another sip, her voice echoing. "You have a show at the end of the month?"

Emily nodded with a smile, "Yeah! If you guys aren't too busy I'd love for you two to be there." She knew Beca and Jesse regularly had their hands full with taking extra shifts at work, they were always exhausted. But knowing they're sitting in the audience would really help calm her nerves.

"Definitely, dude." Beca said, lightly nudging her sister's elbow with hers.

Jesse nodded, "Yeah, all jokes aside, we wouldn't miss it, Em."

Beca walked over to the fridge, where they had their calendar pinned up, and grabbed the dry erase marker, pulling off the cap with her teeth.

"So the 30th. What time?"

"At six." Emily said, watching Beca scribble the note into the box for the day of her show. She appreciated the effort Beca and Jesse put into making sure she didn't have the same experience they had when they were in high school. Arthur never attended one of Jesse's baseball games or parent teacher conferences to hear about Beca making the deans list. Not to mention their mother bailed when they were just kids but Emily doesn't really remember her. Maybe that was for the best.

"Alright. If it's on the calendar, it's a priority." Beca said, "Which reminds me," she tapped the marker against a box, "The electric bill is due at the end of the week."

"Way ahead of you." Jesse began, "I'm covering for Bumper this week at the shop. I should have the rest - or close to the rest - by Thursday."

"Nice." Beca grinned, "I'll see if Luke needs an extra set of hands with anything then we should be good."

Emily whipped around at the mention of their neighbor. Concerned, she bit her lip, "Not that he's not a great guy but he almost got you in trouble last time. Are you sure getting involved with him again is a good idea?"

Jesse nodded, biting the inside of his cheek, "Yeah, Bec. You're lucky the cops didn't trace that stolen car back to you."

Beca sighed, "That was an accident. Shit like that happens but he always has a Plan B."

Jesse snorted, "That dudes a player. Of course he always has a Plan B."

Emily scrunched up her nose, "Gross."

Beca laughed and took a moment to glance around the kitchen. She raised an eyebrow when she suddenly realized there wasn't the familiar snore coming from behind the dining table.

"Where's Arthur?"

* * *

"Breakfast of champions?" Gail asked as she draped the rag she was using to wipe down the counter over her shoulder, Arthur waltzing over to the bar with his usual grin plastered on his face.

"Gail, sweetheart, this is why you're my best friend - "

" - I'm not your best friend - "

" - We have this telepathic connection. You always know what I want." Arthur rambled, ignoring the stone cold gaze he was receiving from the bartender. He watched attentively as Gail poured beer into a glass, cracking an egg into it and sliding it across the bar until it slid into his grasp.

"Shouldn't that connection work both ways? What about what I want?" Gail winked, swatting the rag back onto the counter.

Arthur grinned into his glass, "And what would that be?"

"For you to pay last weeks tab." Gail deadpanned.

Arthur pressed his lips together, "It's a tab for a reason. Keep it open."

Gail shook her head. The door swung open and a blonde man in a denim jacket and ripped jeans walked in. His sunglasses resting on his defined cheekbones, his bleached teeth peaking from behind his smug smirk.

"Mornin', Gail."

Gail grinned and rolled her eyes, "What can I do for you, Luke."

Luke pulled off his sunglasses, hanging them on the dip of his v-neck. He leaned forward against the bar, crossing his foot over the other.

"Well I was...around and I thought to myself: how's my good friend Gail."

"Why does everyone think I'm their friend."

Luke smirked, "Oh, come on. We've gotten rather close. We do favors for one another. Our friendship is strong." His British accent thick in his words, licking his lips and grinning widely when Gail followed the action.

Gail let out a snort, "No, the drinks we've had together were strong. So cut the bullshit and tell me what you want." She wiped her hands and tossed the rag under the bar and into a bin. She leaned forward against the bar with her hands outstretched, resting on the edge.

Luke swayed from side to side, a mischievous twinkle in his eye that made Gail glare.

"I have a request." Luke said, lowering his voice when a few more people began to straggle inside the bar. "How do you feel about a stowaway in your next shipment?"

"Depends. What's my cut?"

"It's the same product as last time so I figure the same percentage. Ten percent."

Gail lulled her head to the side, "No one ever says no to a face like that, huh?"

Luke smiled brightly, "No, not really."

"My next shipment is on Wednesday. I'll give my guy the heads up that you'll be meeting him before then." Gail said, looking over at the end of the bar where she was being flagged down, "So do what you gotta do and do it well."

"Of course." Luke patted his hands on the counter before pushing himself off, "Always a pleasure, love." As he made his way towards the door, his phone began to vibrate in his pocket. He grinned at the name that appeared across his screen.

Arthur waved his empty glass, "How about a refill, Gail?"

"How about no, Arty."

Luke pushed the door open with his shoulder as he answered the call, "A bit early for a booty call, Becky."

_"What? Ew, dude, no."_

Luke chuckled as he walked over to his car, "Worth a shot. What's up?"

_"Any chance you have a job for me this week?"_

Luke climbed into his Jeep, smiling as the engine roared, "Becky, you have impeccable timing. I'll be in touch."

* * *

"Yo, yo, yo."

Jesse clasped his hand with his coworker's, pulling away with a snap, "What's up, Don?"

Donald stood up from his stool, extending his arms out to the sides as he gestured towards the motorcycle in front of him.

"This beauty, that's what. Some Ken doll looking dude came by. Said his bike was making, and I quote, _'a ch-ch-ch noise'_ while he was riding it the other day." Donald blinked, giving Jesse a blank stare to which Jesse rolled his eyes. "From the looks of it, it's just the spark plugs. They weren't giving enough spark to run the engine properly but that's a simple fix."

"Be sure to tell him that but make it sound _way _more complicated." Jesse said as he waved his hands in a circular motion.

"Obviously. He's coming back this afternoon." Donald tapped a finger against the engine before turning back to Jesse, "In the mean time, boss man has an appointment he wants us to take care of."

"What is it?"

"Flat tire at UC. It shouldn't take too long."

* * *

"This is ridiculous."

"Aubrey, calm down."

"Calm down?!" Aubrey exclaimed, "Who leaves a broken beer bottle in the parking lot? We're living with a bunch of savages. I hate it here."

Chloe rolled her eyes, "For the record, we could've dealt with this on our own had you not been stubborn to learn how to change a tire from when Tom offered. It's a basic life skill - what if we were on the freeway? There's netflix documentaries about girls like us hitchhiking and getting killed. I don't want to be a statistic, Bree!"

Aubrey gasped, "Oh, so it's my fault!? Well, where _is _the boyfriend of the year? Why am I wasting my time and money on a mechanic that's probably going to abuse the fact that we don't know any better?"

Chloe crossed her arms and scoffed, "He's...in class. I think."

"You think or you know?" Aubrey asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"It's noon so he should've been outta class by now but he hasn't texted me back."

Aubrey shook her head, "Like I said. Boyfriend of the year." Chloe reached over and swatted her arm. The blonde chuckled lightly and exhaled through her mouth with a groan. "If it's noon, the mechanic should've been here by now."

Chloe looked around until her eyes fell on a tow truck pulling up to the curb.

"Oh, I think that's him."

Jesse and Donald hopped out of the truck and walked down the hill towards Chloe and Aubrey. Jesse's boots stomped against the gravel, the tools in his toolbox rattled until he came to a stop in front of the Honda Civic.

"Posen?" Donald asked as he looked down at the appointment sheet on his clipboard.

Aubrey nodded, "Yes Aubrey Posen, and you are?"

"Donald. This is wannabe Bradley Cooper, aka Jesse Mitchell."

Jesse rolled his eyes, "Ignore him. I do."

Aubrey tilted her head and clicked her tongue, "I spoke to a David Hunt." She eyed them, taking notice of the way Jesse distractingly looked around while Donald yawned and flapped the clipboard against his thigh.

Jesse turned back to her and nodded, "Something came up so he sent us. But no worries, a flat tire is an easy fix."

"I told you." Chloe mumbled under her breath.

"If it's such an easy fix then why are you _both_ here." Aubrey asked. Crossing her arms and waving the hand that held her phone in their direction.

Donald smirked, "You ask a lot of questions, Audrey." He bent down in front of the tire and cleared his throat before gesturing for Jesse to pass him the toolbox.

Aubrey glared, _"Aubrey."_

"Isn't that what I said?" Donald frowned. He averted his eyes and resumed to the task at hand. He placed the chock behind the rear left wheel then proceeded with the jack, raising the car.

Jesse nodded towards the vehicle, "How'd this happen anyway?"

"Some drunk asshole left a broken beer bottle on the ground." Aubrey recalled with an irritable tone laced in her words. She gritted her teeth and shook her head, still not believing her luck. Or lack there of.

"Do you ever smile, blondie?" Donald smirked, "It's what happy people do sometimes. It demonstrates optimism."

"I'm supposed to be studying for my microbiology exam right now. _Optimistic_ isn't one of the feelings I want to demonstrate." Aubrey snapped. Chloe bit back a chuckle and gently rubbed her best friend's shoulder.

Donald leaned back and pointed the lug wrench up at her, "Microbiology? Is that like biology but with smaller things?"

Jesse bobbed his head from side to side.

"In a sense."

Aubrey blinked, "In a sense - ?" She shut her eyes and sighed, "Never mind. So how much longer is this going to take?"

Donald hummed to himself, "A few more minutes. You'll be able to study your small biology soon, don't worry."

While Aubrey bit back a veiled remark, Jesse felt his phone vibrate and reached into his pocket to answer it.

"Hey, Don. Beca's calling me. You're all good here, right?" Jesse asked as he began to walk back towards the curb. Chloe looked up at the mention of the familiar name, her mouth falling open with a question on the tip of her tongue. She averted her eyes because what are the chances that he's talking about the same Beca from last night. There's just no way...right?

Donald narrowed his eyes and looked over his shoulder.

"Considering it's been me down here then, yeah, I'm all good. But bring me the spare tire from the truck."

Chloe watched Jesse walk up towards the curb, trying her best to fixate her hearing in his direction but also trying not to look so conspicuous.

"Hey, Becs, what's up?" Jesse greeted, reaching in the back of the truck for the tire while his phone rested between his cheek and shoulder, "Um, okay - I'm finishing up here with Don but I'll meet you at Gail's after work. There's still some stuff I have to do at the shop...yeah I'm off at 7 so meet me there."

Chloe pursed her lips and once she heard him end the call and make his way back over to them, she turned her attention back to Aubrey who was leaning over Donald as he talked her through what he was doing. She couldn't ignore the thoughts rushing through her mind. Hoping that it was in fact the same Beca from last night. Maybe it was just innocent curiosity, the girl had a vibe that was just intriguing. And where's the crime in making new friends? Especially one that knew the area well, someone to show her the ropes in the way of Chicagoans. What other reason is there?

"Don. I'm meeting Beca at Gail's tonight after work. Wanna come?" Jesse asked once he approached them. Setting the tire up against the car.

Donald nodded, "Sounds like a plan. I'm there." He looked up at Aubrey and Chloe, who was staring blankly at her shoes. "You two should come. Gail's is a bar on the southside, kinda far from here but we can take you. We finish at 7...plenty of time to study for small biology until then."

Aubrey glared at him, "Absolutely not - "

Chloe interjected, placing her hands on Aubrey's arm.

"We'll be there."

* * *

Beca set her keys down on the dining table, shutting the backdoor behind her and narrowing her eyes when she noticed Arthur rummaging through their fridge and pulling out a beer.

"Who let you in?"

Arthur twisted the cap and flicked it into the sink, leaning back against the fridge, flailing the beer in the air as he spoke.

"Myself. This _is _my house."

"Yeah? When was the last time you paid a bill around here, Arty?" Beca scoffed. She walked over to stand beside him, staring him down while he fixated his gaze on her, squinting his eyes. She leaned back before lunging forward to snatch the beer from his hand, taking a long swig.

"Hey!"

Beca winked. She watched him reach back into the fridge and pull out another. Arthur touched the rim of the bottle to his bottom lip before extending his arm towards Beca who reached over to clink her bottle against his.

"So, listen." Beca began, "You were passed out on the floor last night. Again. Last week we found you streaking down the street."

Arthur licked the beer from his lips, "Your point?"

"My _point_ is we have enough to deal with around here. We don't need a squatter. So help out, contribute like a functioning member of this family or leave."

"Leave?" Arthur sniggered, "Are you threatening me - "

"One more stunt, Arty, and you're out. You're barely here anyway, I'll just be giving you the final push." Beca pressed her lips together and shrugged, "Your choice."

Arthur pointed the rim of the bottle towards Beca and leaned against the fridge.

"This new color you're trying out? Doesn't suit you."

Beca grinned, "I'm nearly 21, dad. Jesse just turned 20. How long did you think we were going to let you keep this up?"

"Five more years?"

"Clean up your act or GFY, dad."

Arthur frowned, "GFY?"

"Go Fuck Yourself!"

* * *

**A/N: Oh man, oh man!  
How do you think Chloe seeing Beca again will go?  
What are your thoughts on Luke? Do you trust him?**

**Let me know what you think! Drop some reviewssss :) I'd love to hear from you guys. **

**xoxo**


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